ENGLAND'S transformation from joke to a genuine force to be reckoned with was completed last night with the typical lack of fuss that has been the hallmark of Fabio Capello's reign.

From the wreckage of Steve McClaren's forlorn tenure, the Italian has masterminded a revolution that has been achieved as smoothly as was qualification to next summer's World Cup.

Eight successive competitive wins betters the record of the 1966 World Cup winners - and thoughts will already turn to other ways in which Capello may emulate Sir Alf Ramsey.

Watching the ease with which England brushed aside Slaven Bilic's Croatia, it was difficult to believe this was the same venue that staged one of the darkest nights in the chequered history of the national team.

The sight of Steve McClaren, sheltered beneath a golf umbrella and sipping coffee as England's Euro 2008 hopes came crashing down all around him, will be indelibly stamped in Wembley folklore.

Capello has yet to leave us with such an iconic image - but such has been the speed and effectiveness of his revolution that such a moment could yet come in South Africa next summer.

That is not the usual over-expectation of a success-starved nation. Rather a reaction to the remarkable job done by Capello. But this is still a work in progress. And as significant as the comprehensiveness of last night's 5-1 victory was, so was the list of players missing from proceedings.

Rio Ferdinand, Theo Walcott, Owen Hargreaves, Joe Cole and Michael Owen are all top class performers who should be at Capello's disposal in South Africa, while there is an argument to say he is still to find his strongest XI.

The most impressive aspect of Capello's charge has been his ability to turn England into a ruthless, match-winning unit, regardless of the personnel.

Nerves

That was never better demonstrated than last night, when going into the game needing only a point, they ensured there would be no jangling of nerves, making it eight straight wins in Group Six, to make World Cup qualification look like the simplest of tasks.

Rarely does football provide you with such convenient points of comparison, but last night's victory perfectly book-ended England's journey from the McClaren debacle to Capello's World Cup finalists.

Two years ago at a rain-sodden Wembley, again England needed just the one point to secure their place at the European Championships.

But their hopes were in tatters at half time, trailing 2-0 to Bilic's men and bemoaning the fact that the FA sanctioned an NFL match so shortly before such a crucial clash.

Last night they could have faced the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys, as well as Croatia and still come out on top.

Two goals up inside 18 minutes, they would not have been flattered by a 5-0 lead by the interval as Emile Heskey and the outstanding Aaron Lennon wasted three one-on-one opportunities. A second-half fight-back two years ago almost offered McClaren a reprieve, only to see Mladen Petric's strike make it 3-2.

But this result was never in doubt, with England scoring four or more goals against Croatia for the second time in this World Cup qualifying campaign, which only served to emphasise the failings of Capello's predecessor, who was outwitted home and away by Bilic.

Dismantled

It is hard to imagine Capello doing any wrong right now.

He has turned Wayne Rooney into a prolific international goal-scorer and even resolved the age-old dilemma for the national team of gelling Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in the same side.

Both scored twice last night, with Rooney getting the other - but it could have been even better as Croatia were systematically dismantled. Lampard set England on their way with an eighth minute penalty after Lennon was sent tumbling by Josip Simunic. And Lennon put forward the most compelling argument yet that he deserves to be first choice on the right, setting up England's second 10 minutes later.

The Tottenham winger lifted a cross to Gerrard at the back post, who headed back across Vedran Runje and into the far corner to put Capello's side in complete control.

Lennon and twice Heskey failed to add to England's lead before the break, but despite a penalty shout when Glenn Johnson leant on Eduardo in the second half, it wasn't long before the game was over as a contest.

Johnson's cross to Lampard on 59 made it 3-0, and Gerrard scored his second header of the match seven minutes later when found by Rooney.

Eduardo managed a consolation for Croatia on 73 minutes, but Rooney scored his ninth goal in qualification four minutes later when seizing on Runje's lame clearance.

If Capello can manage this much of a transformation in less than two years, what can he manage with another nine months to iron out the creases.